There seem to be as many ways to revel in the holiday spirit as there are stars in the cosmos. Millions of people stoke their Christmas cheer by re-watching classics like The Grinch, It’s A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street. But Chicago’s performance stages also have plenty of options to help us connect with the season’s multi-layered messages of celebration and joy.
One little jewel at the Studebaker Theater on Michigan Ave. is especially gratifying in the story it tells and in the way it’s presented. Musing about the real meaning of Christmas is something we’ve all done; or perhaps even do every year when Christmas rolls around. Composer/librettist Mark Adamo built a storyline and musical score around his reflections on the significance of Christmas and in 2015 created Becoming Santa Claus. Because his creative medium is opera, Adamo’s Christmas offering is not steeped in the trappings of pop culture; but still weaves in enough popular references to make it more than attractive to modern audiences. A contemporary opera performed in English, Becoming Santa Claus arrives filled with attributes you don’t ordinarily associate with more serious dramatic opera. Things like lightness, humor and revelatory self-discovery. Those distinctions are what make this opera so universally agreeable to a broader audience; even though the program was intended and commissioned for opera lovers. For anyone interested in expanding their appreciation of unexplored art forms, its operatic format might be considered one of the production’s strongest appeals.
Over the weekend, Chicago Opera Theater premiered this story of a “bratty” Prince whose destiny is to bestow toys to kids all over the world using a fleet of reindeer as transport. Performances are limited with just two remaining on December 17th and 19th. Told entirely in song that often indulges in a heaping supply of pleasing wordplay, Becoming Santa Claus also uses the gravitas of refined Baroque eloquence to supply balance and depth.
Tenor Martin Bakari stars as Prince Claus whose privilege and seclusion have left him spoiled and naïve. Mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen plays his wise and discerning mother whose insights feel like a soothing balm whenever she sings. Both Bakari and Nelson are delightful with lovely evocative voices. She epitomizes the assurance of self-knowledge and he portrays the difficulty and rewards of discovering your purpose in life. A quartet of elves are the chief dispensers of the wordplay mentioned earlier as well as most of the opera’s abundant bright patches of humor.
Advances in technology continue to revolutionize the theatrical stage as evidenced in the combined efforts of scenic designer Steven Kemp and lighting and projection designer, Driscoll Otto. Set mainly in chambers reminiscent of a royal castle, Kemp’s foundation design was one of simple, restrained grandeur; allowing Brenda Winstead’s stately costumes to complete the opera’s regal tone. Suddenly animated figures would appear flying across the stage; from large and graceful birds to teams of reindeer crisscrossing the globe or going through airport metal detectors. Initially startling, they meshed well with the production’s progression. They also added touches of whimsy and fun that helped entrench the Christmas theme and instill small doses of wonder.
As is now often seen in opera, a scroller at the top of the stage tells you what is being sung. Even though the opera is in English, this kind of aid allows you to more fully admire Mr. Adamo’s wit.
Becoming Santa Claus
90 minutes/No Intermission
December 11, 17 & 19, 2021
Studebaker Theater
410 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
chicagooperatheater.org/season/santa
Covid Protocols: Mask/Proof of Vaccination or Negative Status
